Steve Mascord

For the past two months, untold amounts of newsprint has been given over to torturous tales of pre-season army camps, sand hills and training sessions in the scorching sun.

“I felt like giving up,” our heroes have been quoted as saying. “I pushed myself to the edge. I questioned my decision to join (insert name of club).”

But when Ben Barba told a trainer in Goulburn last weekend, “I don't want to play footy any more,” it was a completely different matter. Barba has been having troubles off the field, as we all well know, and has been given time by his club to address these.

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We all go into a very conventional way of thinking when these things happen, don't we? Once he gets his life in order, we assume, Ben Barba will be back.

It is a given in our society that if you are good at something, if you win acclaim for your abilities, and you are paid a lot of money for it, you will do it for as long as you can.

Why does it have to be like that? Discord would submit that this is only the norm because people accumulate responsibilities and pressures when they are successful, and are locked into doing what got them there, usually by financial factors.

I know I have written here before about our sport fawning over Sonny Bill Williams and Israel Folau, and how it shows a lack of self-respect on our part.

That is no indictment on those players' ambitions, even if the way SBW pursued his was initially offensive. In fact, I would contest that the most satisfying way for anyone to negotiate a working life is to become exceptional at something, quit, do something completely different, and repeat until retirement or death.

More of us would do that without the straps of responsibility digging into our shoulders, to paraphrase the character Ryan Bingham in Up In The Air.

If you are young, well paid, intelligent and beholden to no one there is nothing wrong with deciding you want to do something else even when the rest of the world wants you to stay where you are. To quote a lyric written by Warriors fan Jon Toogood: “When you go against the grain, do you know how beautiful you are?”

So beyond all the homilies and well-intentioned reassurances, we should afford Ben Barba the ultimate “space”, “compassion” and “freedom”.

The freedom to get his life in order, be a perfectly balanced human being, and still not “want to play footy any more”.

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THE best part of the new NRL commercial is women being depicted playing rugby league – or touch footy – rather than just cheering in the stands.

Many have seen the Women In League round as having a hint of tokenism in recent years with washing jumpers and working in the canteen given more plaudits than actually putting on the boots and playing.

It is to be hoped women's rugby league becomes more closely associated with the men's game in Australia, as it is in New Zealand.

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I'm back in Oz now after five months on the road, and I want to thank everyone who has supported the column since it was taken on by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Last week, Red Top said turning down the Auckland Nines offer would be a sign of insularity among NRL clubs. But isn't the fact they are set to play it among themselves a sign of insularity anyway?

Don't Get It made some points about safety and tackling styles. But if techniques that were once safe are now dangerous, I still think doctors need to protect players from them.

Tony said the Auckland Nines would fail – I assume he means commercially. All the more reason, then, for us to get something out of it for ourselves. See my column in Wednesday's Rugby League Week.

Andy Daley argued that Auckland is also a league town. I would say it is the biggest league town in New Zealand, for sure! And the only place where the game sometimes gives rugby union a run for its money.

Thomas Foolery said the club season should only go for 22 rounds. He's right, of course, but we are now locked into television contract in which the game has offered broadcasters 26 – so it's not going to change any time soon.

Gav asked what was happening with the UK television rights for the NRL. I get asked this every second day. There is a theory out there that they have been bought by the new BT Vision platform, which won't be on air until August. That's why nothing is being said. Whether round one is available on Ustream … will be very interesting indeed.

Timmy83 said he was told by the NRL that Setanta would be broadcasting games online and on TV – but wasn't sure of the territories. Thanks for the info, Timmy.

James Cook questioned Cameron Smith's opposition to the Nines. I am not sure the banning of the shoulder charge will improve rugby league James – it's just a necessary evil. As for Cameron, if he has concerns for players' welfare because of an increasing workload, I would have thought it was commendable that he speak up. It's just an opinion, after all – until the RLPA gets involved.

14 comments so far

Interesting idea Steve. I suspect people put a lot of pressure on themselves to keep playing Rugby League, or other sports, because of the money involved, even if its not otherwise in their best interests. Now I don't know Barba personally at all, but I suspect he has no hope of having a different career in which he could earn that much money. Then again there's heaps of blokes in their early 20s who have normal jobs and who lead a decent life.

Commenter

Novas

Location

Canberra

Date and time

February 28, 2013, 11:06AM

Steve I normally disagree with pretty much everything in your column (I still love reading it as a different opinion to mine can only open my eyes) but I've got to say you are spot on with Ben Barba. How many people have had a go at one career and then decided after a few years it's not for them. He may still want to play footy up in Mackay but at the same time it may not be the right career for him.

Commenter

Agree to Disagree

Date and time

February 28, 2013, 11:50AM

I neglected to mention that Ben does have two children so he is not completely free of responsibility... worth adding.

Commenter

Steve Mascord

Date and time

February 28, 2013, 11:52AM

So when is Steve Mascord going to do what he suggests, quit sports jornalism, and challenge himself to do something else? ;-)

Commenter

Mark Sargent

Location

Sydney

Date and time

February 28, 2013, 12:28PM

Mark, I quit the Telegraph in 2008 with no job to go to. I've returned to music journalism even though it pays zilch. I run three websites and produce a weekly podcastl which- combined - turn over no money at all. I'm lucky, I have no-one relying on me and I can do stuff for fun. It's important to make the most of it. Footy journalism is enormous fun.

Commenter

Steve Mascord

Location

Perth

Date and time

February 28, 2013, 3:52PM

So what exactly are Ben Barba's problems? Okay, let's have a stab at them. He is still young (well, still immature), has hit the headlines in a high-profile sport, probably got married too young, doesn't know much outside rugby league except how to fall in with the wrong crowd of drunken dickheads and is a fair way from his family and their support (and somebody's boot up his backside). It shouldn't be that hard for him to work out how best to go forward, even for an over-paid, insulated "star" rugby league player. Grow up, look after your kids and excel at the thing you are best at - playing rugby league for a lot of money. Oh, and despite your track record, your choice of a wife seems to have been a pretty good decision.

Commenter

Stop the rot

Date and time

February 28, 2013, 12:54PM

What's that son? Your young & have a massive amout of pressure & expectation coming from all directions? It's something only a select few can even come close to comprehending? You've got 2 little kids & domestic problems at home? Your struggling emotionally with it all & have made some poor decisions?... Well, suck it up princess & get back to work.

Geez, @Stop the rot, I'm glad you weren't my Dad. The blokes a super star footy player but he's still just 23y/o kid. He's got plenty of time to come back & play footy when he's ready.

Ps Mascord, I talked to immigration; they said you're not being let back in the country if you've still got that pony tail happening....

Commenter

Marto

Location

Newie

Date and time

February 28, 2013, 1:59PM

Marto,

Barba is 23 year not 15, does he need to be 30 before he is classed us grown up? The bloke has two kids and needs to man up.

He has two options either move back to Mackay and get a job in the mines for a 150k a year ( still more money than most people make a year) and play in the local comp or.... he can accept the limelight and all the privledges that come from earning over 500k a year.

At the end of the day he needs to sort himself out because with all those tats over his arms & neck he has a few years to cash in before he wont be bale to get a decent job

Commenter

PJ

Date and time

February 28, 2013, 3:24PM

So negative! No wonder he wants to be out of the limelight. How about you just mind your own business cause I'm thinking you've got issues yourself.

Commenter

KM

Date and time

March 01, 2013, 10:00AM

Steve,Did you stop over in Thailand on your way back and smoke some strong hooch? For many of these blokes, league, afl or soccer etc is all they have. Another career may not be feasible or attainable. Whp wouldnt want to be in a team environment, working together, getting results and getting well rewarded for something that the overwhelming if not complete majority love doing?